03/01/08

Merry March To You,

 With Saint Patrick's Day and Easter, March is gearing up to be as busy a month as February was.  Don't get caught up with all the cares these times bring with them.  In fact, God's Word is very clear on what we should do with the cares of the world.  "Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you."--1 Peter 5:7.  Jesus even said in a parable that the "cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful."  So, relax--really!  Just relax, God is in control!  Take a deep breath, say "Praise God" and move on!

Confessing The Word Of God is an efficient tool we can use to change the world around you.  In fact, one could say that The Word of God changes fact.  By using the "TRUTH" of the Word of God, we can actually change fact and reality. We can see those situations change before our very eyes.  What situations?  That fact and reality we judge or gauge the world around us is the reality I'm talking about.

God doesn't put bad things on us like cancer, blindness, cerebral palsy, car accidents, heart attacks, etc.  He can't!  He's our Father and we can be assured He will not hurt us.  How do I know that?   Because not everyone is saved and not everyone is living for God.  If God were capable of putting bad things on us to whip us in shape, that tactic alone would bring the world to their knees.  But, God is not a respecter of persons and He will not treat anyone differently from another.  He will not hurt us!  He honors our choice.  He is a gentleman and will not think about even embarrassing anyone. 

Let me give an example from the Word of God.  In the ninth chapter of John, it reads--"Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'  Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I'm in the world, I am the light of the world."

Looking at the way this was written, one can assume that God is the one who put this blindness on this man so that Jesus could heal him.  I mean, I was even taught that and I'm sure that most of you have heard similar statements.  That's like saying that you robbed a store--just to take the money back and become a hero.  It ain't happening!  But the translators got this wrong.  Looking at the original text, there should not be a period after "revealed in him."  In fact, there is a pause where a period should be after Jesus says "nor his parents sinned."  So, if we were going to read this the way Jesus said it, it would be like this:  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned.  (PERIOD--STOP-PAUSE--NEW STATEMENT) But, that the works of God should be revealed in him, I must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day.  The night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I'm in the world, I am the light of the world."

Earlier, Jesus' disciples wondered about the event that happened when Pilate mingled the blood of Jewish people with their sacrifices and about the event when the tower of Salome fell on eighteen people, killing them.  They were wondering if the sins of these people caused these catastrophes?  Today, people often wonder why bad things happen to good people.  Why do people file for bankruptcy or divorce by the thousands everyday?  Why do tornadoes rip through towns, killing some, destroying lives forever?  Why do birth defects happen to babies when they are born?  Why do people die of cancer by the thousands every day?  Why do car wrecks happen, scarring or maiming or killing innocent people everyday?  Why do babies die in the arms of loving mothers?  Because of Adam's sin.  That evil nature entered into this earth the moment Adam gave the world to satan.  It's not because of some punishment God gives for our sin.  He already took care of that!  Two thousand years ago--on the cross--God punished His Son for us--He doesn't have to, nor will He punish us again.  These things happen because of the evil nature we have inside of us before we are born again--before we say, "Yes!" to Jesus.

There are some doctrines that teach that God makes little spirit babies in heaven and sends them to earth to enter earthly babies as they are born, but listen to the fallacy of that doctrine:  Why would God create a little eternal spirit, just so that when it grows up to the age of accountability, it will NOT give its life to God and then it dies and goes to Hell?  God won't do that--He can't do that!  These little spirit creatures are created at conception.  All over the world, Christian or Non-Christian, people are pro-creating all the time.  As the very first cell appears, and it divides, the spirit of the one created is growing at the same rate the cells are.  In fact, if I were to die right now, or Jesus comes back and we are instantly changed into our glorified bodies, we will have the same physical features that identify us on earth.  Just how do you know that, pastor?  Glad you asked! Look with me at the story about Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16--Notice in verse 23, the rich man lifts up his eyes.  So, we have at least eyes in eternity.  In verse 24, he cries and talks, so we have a mouth, vocal chords, etc.  Also, he wanted Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch his tongue with it--so, we have fingers and tongues in eternity.  In verse 27, he begged that Lazarus would go and preach to his brothers so that they would not come to this terrible place.  So, these brothers would be able to recognize Lazarus.  Yes, our spirit-man looks like, acts like, feels like, and resembles our earthly bodies.

I wrote all that to explain that God will not put anything on us to punish or to bring "good" things to us in hope that during the bad things, we will turn to Him.  He is not into that kind of coercion. Bad things happen to good people because of the sin nature that is in the world.  Is that the end of it?  Should we give up or concede loss in these bad times.  Many have, but the answer to that is obviously, NO!  My own grandmother said to me that it was God's will that she have lung cancer.  So, naturally, when Granny passed away, I went through a difficult time blaming God for taking her.  She was only 70.  I remember that because she told me that God only promises 70 years to everyone.  Looking back at my family history, no one on my dad's side lived past 70.  I was doomed.  It was God's will I not see 71!  Then, I got turned on to this Key of Confessing His Word! 

The doctor told me, right after my dad passed away at age 68 from congestive heart failure, that I would be dead in five years from congestive heart failure.  He based that on blood pressure readings.  Now, mind you, I missed dad, but I really wasn't too anxious to go see him, yet!  My grandkids were just making their debut and I wanted to see them grow-up!  I started a regiment of using God's Word to counteract the doctor's diagnoses.  Sure enough, about two years ago, satan tried to destroy me.  I had severe chest pains, the main artery pumping blood into my heart was 99% blocked, and if I had not learned about this Key, I would probably be in Heaven right now.  I kept confessing, by His stripes, I am healed.  By His stripes, I am healed.  By His stripes, I am healed.  Over and over and over and over.  I kept saying Luke 5:17 over and over as well.  The power of the Lord is present to heal me.  The power of the Lord is present to heal me.  The power of the Lord is present to heal me.  I then started to personalize it by saying, I am healed by the power of Your presence!  I am healed by the power of Your presence.  The fact was, I had congestive heart failure, the truth was, I was healed by the power of His presence and today, two years later, I am healthy.  I WILL NOT DIE FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE! 

I agree, that is pretty serious, but I also have a testimony of something as mundane as not having enough money to pay bills.  I had agreed to God, that as a church, we would start supporting our mentor's ministry.  We did for a few months, then hard times hit.  Huge energy bills hit us and naturally, I didn't give an offering to the ministry we had agreed to help support.  Time went on and instead of picking up where we left off and start giving to that ministry again, we kept getting further behind in our bills.  An air conditioner fan motor had to be replaced, some windows cracked due to the severity of the weather, plumbing problems, you name it--it happened.  The bills got bigger and you guessed it, the offerings got smaller.  I actually had thoughts that we were going to have to close the doors.  Then I remembered that valuable Key of Confessing God's Word.  I started confessing over and over, My God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.  Over and over and over.  Hour after hour.  Day after day.  Until I got some revelation to start paying into that ministry again.  I purposed it in my heart to give into it no matter what the offering was the next Sunday.  I did.  I would like to tell you that immediately money came in and,  presto-chango, that was the end of our problem.  Well, no it didn't quite happen that way.  We struggled at least another month to pay the bills, but I was determined to give into that ministry again.  When we did, our church received a $5000 check.  We paid ALL THE BILLS and gave a substantial amount to that ministry.  Today, we give to seven different ministries and our bills are paid!  The fact was, we were going bankrupt in the church, the truth was that God will supply for our every need.  MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL OUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS!

We confess on a regular basis that Elkhart is saved!  The fact is one could drive around Elkhart and see that it was not saved.  But the truth is, God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that through Him, the world might be saved.  We confess that over and over and over.  Are we seeing a difference?  In the physical, not so much.  But looking with our spiritual eyes, I see a community in love with Jesus.  Where Jesus is Lord, the Will of God is done!  I see Elkhart in revival!   Paul wrote Timothy, concerning God our Savior, in 1 Timothy 2: 4, "who desire all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Now if God, our Savior desires that all men be saved, then we know that it is His will that Elkhart be saved.  The truth of His Word says that He not only wants all men saved, but that they come to the knowledge of truth--not the facts--but the truth!

Pastor Charlie Rogers has compiled a booklet with nothing but scriptures from the Word of God concerning situations that come up.  If you would like a copy, please email me and I will see that you get a copy.  I have put some of the scriptures for Confessing here.  Click here to go to confessing webpage. 

Have a Christ-filled, Spirit-led March,

For help in receiving from God click here--SALVATION AND INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT